a begining (omio)

[Omio]

"Wh-Wha...?" He used his left middle finger to notice his own paint, cracking and peeling. "Crap! Uh, where'd I pu-- Oh, yeah, the back-left compartment." He grabbed a small mirror out of his back-left pouch, and indeed, it was peeling and cracking, but he was also blushing, without even knowing it. Shi-- gah! Dammit, I was trying to hide that! Play it off...[/] "Good timing, kinda - I needed a new layer of paints anyways, these were too bright." He used his left hand to peel the paints off. His face was kinda pale, from using so many paints, but only natural. Without the paints, his face would be black and charred. He used the paints that Lyndi used, mostly, but chose more browns. Middle left finger for another dark brown, one close to black, and one more for a chestnut colour, on his left ring finger. He completed his design using the chestnut, and only used the chestnut once on Lyndi. The blushing could no longer show itself. He used the last colour she picked, a lighter tone of dark green, the colour of a pine needle, and used that to finish Lyndi's face camo. "Well then, there's completion. Once we get out there, you'll learn about using the Point Of View, or POV in slang."

[jada]

Lyndi laughed, now she knew he had been blushing because he was playing it off. She wouldn't ever admit that she knew, but she did. Her laughter decreased and became a small giggle and eventually left her smiling at Omio. What a silly man. She definatly wanted to be around him for the rest of her life.

After Omio applied all of the paints and said,"Once we get out there, you'll learn about the POV." they were on there way.

The headed out into the dusk. The sun was setting and shadows covered everything. Lyndi had to stop a second and let her eyes adjust. Her body adapted fairly quickly due to her animal like qualities, but she still needed a little time to adjust.

"So what do we do now? Are we going to play some sort of game? something to teach me what you do?" Lyndi asked quickly getting excited.

[Omio]

((Have like... 1 minute.))

"A game? Sure, you could put it at that. Try to hide from my eyes. I will close my eys for about... 30 seconds. You must be able to hide within that amount of time, and somewhat efficiently. Remember not to go past..." He pointed to the 2 trees "...Those 2 trees. Remember what I said. Anyhow, I'll let you start." and with that, he closed his eyes. "One, two, three, four..." And on he counted.

[jada]

A game. It Lyndi hard. She hadn't played a game since she was a child, since she had a family. Family. That was the stone that could shatter the stained glass window of her life. She surpressed the sadness, and pulled her mind back to the present Omio was counting. "Ten,...Eleven..." Lyndi steathily creeped away. She stayed far away from the two tress Omio had pointed out. She was going to jump up in a tree, but she figured that it would be easier to hide on the ground with the dense bushes all around. Lyndi found a cosy spot to crouch down at. A giant bush covered her one side, and she was behind a rather large tree. She ducked down low and lifed her head so she could watch and listen for Omio. Although she doubted she would be able to notice his presence, he would be deathly silent. She was almost sure of it.

While she was waiting for him to try to find her, the faint memory of Raven drept into her mind. What was he up to now? Lyndi hoped he was doing something for the common good. After all he was trying to free slaves.

[Silvarn]

"I suppose you think you were terribly clever, Gossrir."

The fat, decadent noble nearly lost his heartbeat and swirled surprisingly quickly for one of his size to face the voice from the dead.

"You! Why are you still alive?" he spat out.

"Because your guards are incompetent fools." Raven shut the door for Gossrir, emerging from his hiding place in the shadows. Although Gossrir did not see it, the kimono changed from pitch black to its normal blue collage. "Their attempts at death drowned in a rippling sea of blue."

"Ever the silver-tongued, are we not, Cacuus?" Gossrir sneered, groping about behind him.

"If you are looking for that, I have already taken care of it." Raven indicated a mangled sword near the fireplace.

Gossrir's eyes bugged, then he ran towards another room in the private chamber.

"That one as well." Raven called after him, halting the fat man in his tracks.

"What do you want from me, Cacuus? You tried to have my own people kill me, you tried to poison me, and now you have trapped me in my own chamber. I suppose there is no use in calling the guards."

"All of them are filled to the brim with whiskey. I would not waste my resources on anything worth more while." Raven edged closer to the fat noble, now furiously, "What I want, Gossrir, is you dead. Seeing as how your death would cause quite the tumult and ultimately ruin my plans, I cannot allow that. Tell me, Gossrir, what is this city's greatest source of revenue?"

"Why, the slave trade, of course!" Gossrir sputtered, "The rest of our city would wither and perish if we did not have the slaves to support us."

"Do not lie to me, Gossrir." Raven held up a thick tome. "The slaves account for the majority of the income, but take a look at my mathematics." Raven tossed the large record-book at Gossrir, who fumbled it and exerted himself picking it up again.

The rotund noble examined a loose piece of paper sticking out from the pages. "This, this is impossible! How did you come across these numbers?"

"A rough estimate, but my proofs make my point valid."

"I never realized paid men worked harder than slaves. It simply goes to show people are more willing to work for gold than life."

"No one is willing to work for life, Gossrir. Ten hours a day at the very maximum with at least one day off a week, and holidays."

"I sense a bargain." Gossrir's crafty eyes lit with excitement. "But what is my end of the deal?"

"You fat pig! You give these people their lives and you gain more money! What more do you want?" Raven exploded, towering over the man three-quarters his height, but easily twice his girth.

"I want you to apologize for trying to kill me, Cacuus. And, as I am the victim of the attempted murder, I demand tribute to help with my emotional troubles." Gossrir's face became smug and condescending.

"And if I refuse?" Raven's eyes smoldered with hatred.

"A nasty little thing, gossip, but ever so useful. If you stupidly refuse, then every city from here to the great desert will know you for what you truly are: a murderous, double-faced, good-for-nothing slave in silk! You know what they say about slaves, Cacuus, once a slave, always a slave."

"My name is Raven!" The kimono flared with light from within and Raven made a slashing motion with his arm. Cacuus died to the moment the steel-like silk cut through his major blood vessels.

"Oh, no...no, no, no!" Raven covered his blood-spattered face with his hands. "Francis? Francis!" he called, panicked, to the darkness.

His equally dark friend rushed over to his hysterical master. "Raven, it is alright, be calm."

"I killed him, Francis! I promised you I would not! I am still a monster, just as I will always be!" Raven broke down, sobbing uncontrollably into Francis' strong shoulder.

"I heard everything Raven. The conniving pig wanted as much as he could haggle from you. In this case, you did the only thing you could. But you were right, Gossrir's death will turn this city into ruins."

"But Gossrir is not dead." Raven said, his voice still shaky. He rummaged through the chest fabric of his kimono. "Please, forgive me for this, my friend," he said heavily as he drew out a plain, expressionless ivory mask.

Francis cringed, but steeled himself. "This would be for the best."

Raven put the ivory mask on Gossrir's face. The mask flared with white light. Raven looked at Gossrir's ivory face in his hand. "Of all the faces I have worn, this is by far the worst." Raven plunged his face into the back of Gossrir's. In an instant, Francis stared intently at the live Gossrir before him.

"That never fails to take my breath away."

"Nor mine," Raven sputtered through the thick fat around his neck. He gave his robes a ruffle, changing them instantly into the same coloration and texture as the dead Gossrir's. "Please help me with the lard, Francis."

Between the two of them, they rolled Gossrir off of a balcony into a swift-flowing river. Raven watched until his floating mirror faded from view, floating down a river bound for the moonlit horizon.

"How long will you have to wear this hideous disguise?" Francis asked.

"Until I abolish and free all the slaves within this city. After that, I will give all my power to my 'other' self. Finally, the first step will be taken to a slave-free Valear. All the other plans have ended badly, but this one will be different, I can feel it! Or perhaps I am . Ooph...this bulk takes far too much effort to move around. No wonder he sticks to one spot."

"If you say so, Raven."

{{OOC: Wow...didn't realize how bloody long that turned out. Oh, well, I had fun writing it. Hope you had fun reading it!}}

[Omio]

((@ Silvarn: Dayumn! I've never made an RP post in here that long! I came over ½ that length, but not much more.))

jada said:

A game. It Lyndi hard. She hadn't played a game since she was a child, since she had a family. Family. That was the stone that could shatter the stained glass window of her life. She surpressed the sadness, and pulled her mind back to the present Omio was counting. "Ten,...Eleven..." Lyndi steathily creeped away. She stayed far away from the two trees Omio had pointed out. She was going to jump up in a tree, but she figured that it would be easier to hide on the ground with the dense bushes all around. Lyndi found a cozy spot to crouch down at. A giant bush covered her one side, and she was behind a rather large tree. She ducked down low and lifed her head so she could watch and listen for Omio. Although she doubted she would be able to notice his presence, he would be deathly silent. She was almost sure of it.

While she was waiting for him to try to find her, the faint memory of Raven drept into her mind. What was he up to now? Lyndi hoped he was doing something for the common good. After all he was trying to free slaves.

"Twenty-eight, Twenty-nine..." He opened his eyes on the last word. "Thirty. Let's see how effective you are at positions." First he checked easy spots to hide in, to find nothing. By now, he passed Lyndi twice. Next was a couple of his spots. He checked them, to find nothing. Now to go up into the trees. Again, nothing. He wandered around, and found the only plausible spot for hiding, and it was one of his throwing-knife trenches, too. He looked, and actually decided to use his hand this time, and it landed somewhere on Lyndi. Where, I won't mention, because the language filter might lambast me again. Nonetheless, Lyndi was kinda face-down and prone, and after touching her, he could see her. "Y-you've been found." His cheeks, under the paint, would've been redder than cherries. But that wasn't visble. Oh. My. God. I've accidentally touched he behind. This can't be played off, just pretend you don't know...

((Aye, decided to stir it up a bit.))

[jada]

((OCC: Nice Silvarn. Now we just have to come up with a way for our characters to meet up again))

Lyndi had been hiding for quite sometime before Omio had actually found her. Although when he did find her he was kindof fumbling in the dark and grabbed her behind. Lyndi pulled away quickly, also blushing, and stood up to face Omio.

She said awkwardly, "You found me..." She wasn't sure quite what else to say. she had quite a stong feeling that Omio liked her, but should she ask him? Or should she just pretend she didn't know. What if he didn't really like her and it was all just a mistake? Did she even think about him in that way? Question rushed through her mind. Her eyes had glazed over while she was thinking and then she shook her head slightly to bring herself back.

"Omio...do...do you...hmmmm i am not so sure i know how to say this...but..."She sighed lightly and decided to ask, " Do you have any feelings for me?" She blushed as she asked, and was ever so thankful she had dark paint on to cover up her blushing.

[Omio]

...She figured me out, huh? Guess I'm slipping... I really need to practice more. Omio sighed. "There's no more use for hiding it now... Indeed, my feelings for you have grown. Quite a lot. And it's more than just the teacher and pupil feeling, too. Perhaps it was because I was reckless by luck. ....At this point, all that is certan, is that we've met and... loved? ...I think we might be able to put it at that, but back to the point. We've met each other, and have grown to like each other, and it may be blossoming to love. I'm not sure myself, for I've... never been in the world of love." Now, even I have to say, Omio's blown the whole thing wide open. To be blunt, in a way, he's SQUARE.

((Omio's the open type of guy. What do you expect? ...My left thumb feels odd...))

[jada]

"Oh OMIO!" Lyndi said. she hugged him close, and laughed. She let go and took a step back.

"Yes, love...it's an interesting subject, not something i have much experience in either. I have only loved my family, never a man. So it's all new to me too." She smiled at him.
"Omio, i'm glad you told me how you really feel. Maybe we can figure things out together? How about we just let things happen. First i think i'd like to finish our game. I believe it's your turn to hide."

she turned around and closed her eyes,"Oh and i'm going to count silently, you've had much more practice so you can hide much quicker and steathier then I."

Lyndi wasn't sure she could openly talk about love. She'd rather it just happened. But she was glad to know Omio had feelings for her. It made her extreamly happy, but she wouldn't let him know just yet. She wanted things to grow on their own.

[Silvarn]

Raven set his gross girth down on the foot of Gossrir's bed. With eager hands, he reached for his face and removed it. He breathed freely, no longer constricted by Gossrir's fat frame. "Much better." he sighed happily to Francis.

"A job well done, Raven." Francis complimented. "You certainly put a hive in the bureaucrats'' bonnets. If you were not their lord, they probably would have killed you."

Raven took in several more deep breaths. "One of them commented afterwards, they noticed slight changes in my behavior. The way I held myself, a slight increase in my articulation. He guessed I was beginning an exercise regiment."

"Do you think he suspects?" Francis asked anxiously.

"No. He was only trying to butter me up, get closer to me. Which cannot be that far, since I am nearly as tall standing as I am lying down."

"How long will they deliberate?"

"It matters not. Remember, my word is law in this city. The deliberation only matters if they unanimously veto my laws. Luckily, Gossrir has several who he pays to be sycophants. They have three days to reach a decision. I announced I would take a vacation from the city during that time. Finally, a time to walk in the open without hiding behind this hideous visage."

"The sun is still high in its path betwixt the horizons. Shall we part and make for its departing point?" Francis asked, a mischievous smile on his face.

"Not bad, Francis. You are learning the art of the silver tongue. And yes, we shall boldly strike forth as the first rays of dawn to where the last of dusk sing their beautiful, yet all too short, requiem. The most ancient will be our guides, down the road to wherever it may lead. At least, until three days pass, then we must return to this glorious pit of stone."

"You did that just to make me look bad, did you not?"

"Of course. I cannot have the pupil surpass the master, now can I? Shall we depart?"

"Do lets. I yearn to be parted from this stuffy odors, to bask in the warm scents of the forest."

"Then let us away!"

Moments later, Gossrir vanished into Raven once again, once the forest shielded them from the city's watching eyes.

"Perhaps we shall meet some friends along the path?" Francis asked.

"Perhaps. That is the excitement. The unknown lurks behind every tree."

The two wandered undisturbed along the path for hours before Raven halted them. A long-deserted path was on their left. Raven kneeled down, noticing light, barely-discernible footprints. "These are fresh." he announced.

"How can you tell?" asked Francis, who still glanced about, trying to spot whatever his master was looking at.

"The dust crumbles finely under the fingertips. Had it been old, it would have crumbled into chunks. Uck, chunk, what a horrid word."

"So, where does this path lead? I do not remember it on our way to the city."

"We were not looking for it, and we were looking in the wrong direction. Shall we investigate?"

"Perhaps not. It looks rather foreboding, and we need to keep you safe. After, you are no help to the slaves if you are six feet beneath the ground."

"What is the harm in a little adventure, Francis? Besides, what is the worst that can happen?"

"You simply had to say that, correct? In that case, I shall lead."

[Omio]

...It was Omio's turn, and what's this? Lyndi counting silently? Perfection. "Then I shall let you count to ten. Any more, and I fear it would be too difficult." And off he went, vanishing from sight as he left. He had only 3 places he could hide, and where Lyndi hid was one of them, so that area was going to be combed. And so, he invented a new one, and went to it. He was standing, and his arms were in such a shape to blend into the tree he was up against. He was actually facing the tree, letting his hair be the only thing possible to spot, and even then, you'd have to be about 4 inches away to notice it. Now, he only had to wait for Lyndi, which wouldn't be for long. He then remembered something, and, within his thoughts, cursed himself out for it.
You idiot! She can just as easily morph, and nail you! You forgot to hide your scent!
He had ample time before, but none now. All he could do was surpress his breath, and only move with the wind. And then, the wind was telling him something. Something grim. Whatever it was, he didn't need to worry about it now. The wind wasn't being direct, and so he could just finish this round, and call it a time to move out.
Lyndi, I hope your eyes are good.

[jada]

Lyndi finished counting to ten silently, and turned around to where Omio once stood.
He had silently crept away while she was counting. But where to? She could always cheat and use her animal forms to find him easierm and quicker. But that was cheating and she wanted to play fair.

She hunted around for him for quite sometime. She looked in all the obvious places first and then started to search harder. her eye sight wasn't very good compared to her animal forms so she was haveing a little trouble seeing. She was getting extreamly annoyed because she could easily have found Omio by now if she had been a panther, she could just smell him out. But the whole point of this was to develop her elven senses, and she was determind.

[Silvarn]

"Wait, Francis. Something does not feel right." Raven stepped ahead of his friend, taking a cautious step onto the deserted path. He examined a strange patch of earth. A slight lump in the ground, something one would simply step over. Or step on. He closed his eyes tight and willed them to see through deception. Not see the truth, that would take too much time and much too much effort. Simply the ability to see and realize when and where he was trying to be tricked. That was within his power. He opened his eyes again, now a light silvery blue and saw treachery laid beneath the earth, all down this path.

"Francis, wait here." he ordered, releasing the magical drain on his eyes and letting them see the lying world once more. He aimed an open sleeve at the outstretched limb of a strong tree. He gave a twtich of his fingers and the sleeve shot out, looping itself fastedly around the limb. Slowly, carefully, Raven used the stretched cloth to climb up the branch, extremely careful not to allow his feet to touch the ground. He paused there, letting the sleeve resume its 'natural' position.

He looked all along the path, concluding it stopped between two trees. The trees interested Raven. They were plain, ordinary tress, but, it seemed to him, they seemed slightly out of place. He used both sleeves to construct a billowing bridge to the trees, which he ran lightly across. He lept off the bridge, landed softly on his feet, drawing up the sleeves behind him.

"Now...where am I?" he asked himself aloud.

[jada]

After five long mintues of thouroughly searching for Omio Lyndi gave in. She morphed into a black panther. She took in a deep breath to find his scent, but was surprised to smell Raven and Francis. What were they doing here? Lyndi could faintly smell omio, his scent was fadeing. She followed it and found him against a tree, you would have never scene him he blended in perfictly. She morphed right behind him and tapped him.

"I have a confession, I cheated, but we can talk about that later. I shifted into a panther and picked up Raven and Francis's scents. they are very close. I'm afriad they may have found the trees, there scent is leading to that direction." She was a little scarred.

Did they follow Omio and Her? Or was it just fate that they came this direction? Either way Lyndi had the gut feeling that they were near the trees, and that wouldn't be good.

[Omio]

See? You moron, she did change shape. You need to take more caution! Follow all 5 procedures next time! Otherwise, you're just as useful as a dead carcass on the road! "..I was expecting you to cheat on that one... And I forgot to use a tool I use often. but nonetheless, what you speak of now brings light to something I was listening to. The wind. It has been speaking but morbid. If what you say is true, then Raven and his attendant are in for something. Let us escape at once. Shift thyself, and we shall proceed." He then moved his mouth to her ear, and began to whisper. "Raven persues the ideal of freeing slaves. If you don't want to work for that cause, I would recommend we use a guise. If you can morph into a bird, I'll cover that up, and I'l let you fly off eventually to morph back. When you do that, come back with a few sticks of firewood, stating you've done exactly that. He'll think something close to nothing of this spot while you're gone."

((...Dammit, I'm using too much chatter.))